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The use of theory to guide practice is what distinguishes an occupational therapist’s professional judgment and reasoning from simply technical skills. However, occupational therapists continue to lack confidence and skills in understanding application of theory to inform practice. Thus, effective course design related to theory is imperative in professional formation. This study assessed the effectiveness of a graduate-level occupational therapy theory course redesigned using andragogical, learner-centered, and active learning principles to address gaps in applying and understanding theory. A mixed methods retrospective cohort design was utilized. This included a pretest/post-test survey along with end-of-semester course and instructor evaluation. Eighty-four students engaged in the course and completed pre/post-testing and end of course evaluations. Course and instructor evaluations from an original (pre-redesign) cohort of 28 students were used for comparison. Results suggest that the course redesign was effective at helping students understand and apply occupational therapy theory in a real-world context while also being able to articulate the importance of theory-guided practice. Instructors should structure theory coursework around andragogical, learner-centered, and active learning principles to improve engagement and interaction with theoretical concepts. Results of this study can inform instructors in best practices and student preferences when instructing theory-related coursework and how to create learning opportunities which have distinct value in creating occupational therapy practitioners who are confident in utilizing theory to inform practice decisions.

Objective:The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of high-performance vision training on enhancing visual field awareness among collegiate softball athletes, as well as to compare effectiveness of results based on intervention type which consisted of DynavisionTM D2 or therapist-led non-machine vision training.Methods:Twenty-one athletes were randomized to two groups: Group A participated in DynavisionTM D2 training, and Group B participated in non-machine, therapist-led visual training. Each group engaged in vision training,15 minutes, twice weekly for six weeks, following a pre-established vision training protocol. After pretesting, a 2-week familiarization period allowed both groups to orient to the DynavisionTM D2 training device. Group-specific interventions included dynamic skill training framed in a cognitive and sensory approach. A Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze changes in means across multiple observations (pretest, posttest, and follow-up testing) within-and between-subject factors (Groups A and B) to determine differences among DynavisionTM D2 quadrant and ring hits and speeds of reaction time. Parametric testing was used as data followed a normal distribution. Statistical significance was set at α≤0.05.Results:The study demonstrated that high-efficacy vision training was effective in improving the peripheral field awareness of collegiate softball athletes. This was demonstrated via mean hits and speeds within quadrants and rings of the Dynavision. Both Group A and B demonstrated statistically significant improvements in number of hits within quadrants 1,2, and 4 as well as rings 3,4, and 5. In addition, both groups demonstrated statistically significant improvements in speed within all quadrants and all rings. Therefore, both DynavisionTM D2 training and alternative vision training may be effective training methods to improve the visual field awareness and reaction time of an elite athletic population; however, the DynavisionTM D2 may be a more effective tool. There was a statistically significant difference between Group A and Group B, with Group A experiencing more significant improvements than Group B in number of hits in quadrants 2 and 4 and rings 2 and 3 as well as speeds within quadrants 1 and 2 and ring 2 and 5. Follow-up testing, completed in the absence of additional intervention, confirmed study results and skill retention at 1-and 2-month follow-ups.Conclusion:Peripheral vision contributes to sport performance, with implications on an athlete's reaction time, anticipation, and overall safety while on the field. Research indicates improvement of visual field awareness can be gained through use of the DynavisionTM D2, yet these studies primarily involve subjects with established field loss or post injury, rather than as a training method among well athletes. The results from this study demonstrate the adaptability of the visual system for those with normal field of vision.

Purpose. A well-developed visual system is integral to the dynamic nature of sport performance among collegiate athletes. Occupational therapists play an important role in addressing an athlete’s visual skills through incorporating meaningful occupation, in this case sport, into interventions while addressing specific client factors. The aim of the study was to examine the efficacy of occupational therapist led high-performance visual training in improving the reaction time of collegiate softball athletes. Method. A mixed method approach was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data were collected to assess athlete perceptions of sport, and quantitative data were collected using a mixed within group and between group design. Twenty-one participants were randomly allocated into two groups, each receiving a 6-week intervention which followed an evidence-based protocol. Group A consisted of Dynavision™ D2 training, and Group B of non-machine, therapist-led, visual training, twice weekly for 10-15 minutes each. Results. Results of the study highlight perceived meaningfulness of sport and display that both theory-based protocols were effective, as Group A and Group B experienced significant decreases in reaction time. However, decreases in reaction time were more significant for Group A in both proactive and reactive Dynavision™ D2 training modes. Conclusion. Results suggest that both the Dynavision™ D2 and alternative vision training as led by occupational therapists may be beneficial in improving the proactive and reactive reaction times of collegiate athletes, enhancing their abilities to participate in meaningful sports, but the Dynavision™ D2 may be a more effective training tool, especially related to proactive reaction time training.

Importance: Self-management of lifestyle behaviors is the recommended focus for interventions to address Type 2 diabetes. Habit formation is an effective approach to changing personal behaviors, but evidence of success for Type 2 diabetes is limited., Objective: To examine the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of occupation-based habit formation interventions for improving diabetes self-management behaviors., Design: Single-subject design with multiple participants providing 4 wk of baseline data followed by 10 wk of intervention data., Setting: Individual telehealth sessions., Participants: Eight adults (ages 29-75 yr) with Type 2 diabetes, who had access to a telephone and who were not involved in other diabetes-related education or interventions voluntarily, enrolled into the study., Intervention: Participants engaged in 10 wk of habit formation intervention focused on four diabetes self-management domains: nutrition, blood glucose monitoring, medication management, and physical activity., Outcomes and Measures: Data gathered included findings on measures of diabetes self-care behaviors and habit formation., Results: There was a significant change in self-care behaviors for 6 of the 8 participants (p < .05 for 1 participant, and p < .01 for 5 participants). Group changes were statistically significant (p < .001). Habit strength significantly improved for all areas of diabetes self-management (p < .001 for nutrition, blood glucose monitoring, and medication management and p = .001 for physical activity)., Conclusions and Relevance: Findings suggest that the occupation-based intervention was feasible and showed promise for developing self-management behaviors. What This Article Adds: Habits are considered foundational to occupations, yet application of the science of habit formation is often not well understood by occupational therapists. This study considered the theoretical components of habit formation that have been neglected by prior studies and demonstrates the feasibility and preliminary effect estimates of a habit formation intervention when used with people with Type 2 diabetes., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.)

Importance: Interventions that promote function, medication reconciliation, and skin integrity assist occupational therapy practitioners in demonstrating professional value, improving quality, and reducing health care costs., Objective: In this systematic review, we focus on three outcome areas of the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014: functional status, medication reconciliation, and skin integrity., Data Sources: We conducted a search of the literature published between 2009 and 2019 in CINAHL, Cochrane, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, OTseeker, and Scopus. We also hand searched the systematic reviews and meta-analyses in our search results for articles that met our inclusion criteria. Study Selection and Data Collection: This study used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines., Findings: We found 47 articles that address the three outcome areas. Regarding functional status, low strength of evidence is available for cognition and functional mobility interventions to support functional performance, moderate strength of evidence supports interventions for vision, and moderate evidence supports task-oriented and individualized interventions to promote activities of daily living (ADL) outcomes among people with neurological conditions. Strong strength of evidence supports individualized occupational therapy interventions focusing on medication adherence. Low strength of evidence was found for occupational therapy interventions to reduce pressure ulcers and promote skin integrity. Conclusion and Relevance: The evidence supports occupational therapy interventions to improve functional status in ADLs and medication management. Additional research is needed that examines the outcomes of occupational therapy interventions for other areas of function and skin integrity. What This Article Adds: We found evidence to support occupational therapy interventions that align with value-based measures in the three outcome areas of interest. The effectiveness of these interventions highlights the viability of occupational therapy as an essential profession and the worth of occupational therapy to the public, potential clients, and payers., (Copyright © 2022 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.)

Importance: Interventions that prevent falls, facilitate discharge after hospitalization, and reduce hospital readmissions assist occupational therapy practitioners in demonstrating professional value, improving quality, and reducing costs., Objective: In this systematic review, we address three outcome areas of the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014: prevention and reduction of falls, facilitation of community discharge and reintegration, and prevention of hospital readmission., Data Sources: We conducted a search of the literature published between 2009 and 2019. Study Selection and Data Collection: We developed operational definitions to help us identify articles that answered the search question for each outcome area. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines., Findings: We found 53 articles that address the three outcome areas. Regarding the prevention and reduction of falls, low strength of evidence is available for interventions focusing on a single fall risk and for customized interventions addressing multiple risks. Moderate strength of evidence supports structured community fall risk prevention interventions. Low strength of evidence was found for community discharge and reintegration interventions that include physical activity and educational programming. Low to moderate strength of evidence was found for readmission prevention interventions for patients with four types of condition. Conclusion and Relevance: Several intervention themes in the three outcome areas of interest are supported by few studies or by studies with a moderate risk of bias. Additional research is needed that supports the value of occupational therapy interventions in these outcome areas. What This Article Adds: Our study provides important insights into the state of the evidence related to occupational therapy interventions to address three outcome areas of the IMPACT Act., (Copyright © 2021 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.)